Oil Spills Grow Up So Fast

The oil spill is one month old today. Heavy oil hits Louisiana shore, enters sea current. Scientists scramble to help Cuba. Coast Guard blocks journalists from filming oil on the shoreline, citing “BP’s rules.” Oceanographers attack Obama administration response. BP admits they underestimated the amount of oil leaking as more washes on shore. How big? An Exxon Valdez every three days. BP withholding information. BP skipped critical testing hours before explosion. BP told to stop using toxic dispersant. Fmr. EPA Investigator Scott West: US Has Told BP “It Can Do Whatever It Wants and Won’t Be Held Accountable.” No one could have predicted. The Gulf of Mexico is a crime scene. And then Kevin Costner fixed everything.

Now I’m Just Procrastinating

* Crooks & Liars finds Christopher Brownfield arguing what I’ve been suspecting—BP is only considering containment options that protect their investment. Perhaps this is a question for Obama’s new presidential commission to take up. Meanwhile it looks as if Deepwater Horizon oil has been caught by the loop current, which means it could wind up in the Atlantic soon.

* If we weren’t living in post-racial America, a statistic showing the wealth gap between blacks and whites increasing fourfold since 1984 would be pretty worrying.

* I don’t say this often, but damn, that’s cold.

* Anesthesia awareness: just say no.

* One of the better periodic chart memes I’ve seen: The Elements of a Superhero.

* And speaking of superheroes: Feminist Hulk is on Twitter.